Adjustable shelving and shelf hangers



June 30. 1964 J, ROJAKOVICK ADJUSTABLE SHELVING AND SHELF HANGERS FiledJuly 5, 1963 d'os ep/z F0 'aZm/Z'C% r 5 awk 32%, m

United States Patent cc 3,139,045 ADJUSTABLE SHELVING AND SHELF HANGERSJoseph Rojalroviclr, 10858 S. Drake Ave, Chicago, Ill. Filed July 3,1963, Ser. No. 292,654 3 Claims. (Cl. 108-409) This invention relates tonew and useful adjustable shelving and shelving hangers.

While many types of shelving and shelving brackets and hangers exist forvarious purposes, a great many are simply not adapted to be hung from orsupported by a horizontal surface. The shelving and hangers of thisinvention are both adjustable and peculiarly adapted to be suspendedfrom a horizontal surface. The shelving and hangers of this inventionare especially useful in the kitchen where by making use of the shelvingand hangers, shelves may be provided beneath kitchen wall cabinetswithout utilizing the wall as a support and without taking up part ofthe countertop space of which there never seems to be enough.

Not only does this invention provide shelving which is adjustablevertically, but it also factilitates the practical utilization ofshelves of widely varying contours and size.

Thus it is a principal object of this invention to provide novelshelving and novel hangers for use in shelving.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide shelvingincorporating a plurality of hangers, in which said hangers define avertical track member adapted to slidingly guide a complementaryadjustable member and wherein said members may be fixed relative to eachother by connecting means so that the adjustable member remainsnon-oscillatably seated within said track member, and wherein saidhangers include means for supporting said hangers from a horizontalsurface and separate means for supporting at least one shelf therefrom.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and usefulshelf hanger which is adapted to be hung from a horizontal surfacewherein said hanger includes complementary elongated track and elongatedslidable members and means fixedly connecting said members for retainingsaid slidable member within said track member and wherein means fordependingly supporting said shelf hanger and means for supporting ashelf from said shelf hanger are also provided.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom the following description and drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an illustrative embodiment of theshelving of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the shelving of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partially in section, taken substantiallyalong line 3-4) of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substan tially along line 44of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the illustrative suspensionmember of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the illustrative slidablemember of FIG. 1.

FIGURES 1 to 6 inclusive illustrate one form in which the invention ofthis application may be embodied. Referring first to FIGURE 1, shelvingunit 1 is illustrated as being dependingly supported from a horizontalsurface H. Shelving unit 1 includes a plurality of hangers 10dependingly connected to horizontal surface H by screws 12 or othersuitable fastening means. Shelving unit 1 also includes an upper shelf14 and a lower shelf 16 suitably connected to hangers 10 in a manner tobe described.

As is most clearly discernible from FIGURES 3, 5 and 6, each hanger 10desirably comprises an elongated sus- 3,139,045 Patented June 30, 1964pension member 20 and an elongated slidable member 22 both of which aregenerally L-shaped. Suspension member 20 includes a hanger arm 24 and anelongated vertical arm 26. The hanger arm includes a central web 28 andspaced reinforcing flanges 30 and defines an opening 32 through whichsuitable fastening means such as screws 12 are adapted to pass toconnect the hanger to the horizontal surface.

Vertical arm 26 comprises a central web 34 and spaced parallel flanges36 perpendicularly disposed with respect to web 34. Together web 34 andflanges 36 define a U- shaped channel or track means in which slidablemember 22 is adapted to be seated and by which slidable member isadapted to be slidingly guided in a longitudinal direction. Vertical arm26, in its web portion, also defines a plurality of openings 38 forpurposes to be described.

Slidable member 22 includes an elongated adjustable arm 49 and a supportarm 42, both of which are generally rectangular in cross-section.Adjustable arm 40 defines a plurality of openings 44 spaced along itslength while support arm 42 defines an opening 46. Openings 44 arepositioned to be alignable with openings 38 in vertical arm 26 so thatsuitable connecting means such as nuts and,

bolts 43 maybe located within and at said openings to fix the suspensionand slidable members with respect to each other so that relativemovement between them will be resisted.

Extending inwardly of hangers 10 there are provided suitable upper shelfsupporting and fastening means. Those means, in the embodimentillustrated, are shown as a bracket 59 which includes a pair of arms 52defining openings 54 therein. Bracket arms 52 as seen in FIG. 3 are ofsubstantially the same width as central web 34 of vertical arm 26 toprovide a snug, but slidable fit of bracket arm 52 between flanges 36.Openings 54 are located so that opening 54 ofvertical bracket arm 52 isalignable with openings 38 and so that the opening 54 of horizontalbracket arm 52 is alignable with suitable openings in upper shelf 14.arm 52 to vertical arm 26, nut and bolt fastening means 56 are providedand to connect horizontal bracket arm 52 to shelf 14 nut and boltfastening means 58 are provided. The nut and bolt fastening meansfacilitate convenient and repeated assembly and disassembly of theshelving unit as a whole and further facilitate storage and shipping ofthe shelving unit.

In the illustrative embodiment of this invention nut and bolt connectors60 have been used to connect the lower shelf 16 to support arms 42 ofslidable member 22. Nut and bolt connectors 60 pass through suitableapertures in lower shelf 16 which apertures are positioned to be alignedwith support arm openings 46. In that manner lower shelf 16 is connectedto and forms a part of the overall shelving unit.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, both of the suspension and slidablemembers 20 and 22 are elongated. To provide for a wide range of verticaladjustability, each of those members is at least as long as about eighttimes the perpendicular distance between flanges 36 of the suspensionmember, although shorter members may be used for special purposes. Soalso are there provided a plurality of alignable openings 38 and 44 toincrease the range of possible vertical adjustment of the hangers.

While a single shelf may be provided, the use of two or more shelvestends to provide a shelving unit of greater rigidity. Rigidity andstrength is also imparted to the shelving unit by the particular hangerconstruction of this invention.

While it is shown in other of the figures, FIG. 4 especially shows thatthe one transverse dimension of the slidable member 22, its width, issubstantially the same as the perpendicular distance between flanges 36of sus- To connect vertical bracket 5.3 pension member 20. Thus it isthat when slidable member is placed or positioned within the track meansof the suspension member the only possible direction in which theslidable member may be moved parallel to the plane defined by the innersurface of said web is one longitudinally thereof. That enhances therigidity of the hangers 10, hence of the overall shelving unit and meansthat a single connecting means, such as nuts and bolts 48 may be used tofix said members with respect to each other and to retain adjustable arm40 within the track of vertical arm 26 thereby preventing oscillatorymovement between suspension and slidable members 20 and 22.

The foregoing makes it clear that the shelving of this invention iswidely adjustable and is useful in a wide range of environments. Thehangers utilized to dependingly support the shelves are very stable inany position of adjustment, even at the position of greatest elongationbecause of the dimensional relationship between the suspension andslidable members and the guidance function provided by the trackdefining suspension member.

While, as mentioned previously, the shelving is especially useful forsuspension beneath a kitchen wall cabinet to hold such things as spices,cook books, clocks, radios, decorative items, or the like, it may alsobe used elsewhere where suspended shelving is desirable. And, while inthe embodiment illustrated the hangers have been shown as beingsuspended by the track defining means, it will be appreciated that theillustrative hangers might be suspended by the slidable members thereofas well.

While one embodiment of this invention has been described in somedetail, it is apparent that minor modifications and changes may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Assuch I intend the scope of my invention to be limited only insofar asmay be necessary in view of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shelf hanger comprising, in combination, an elongated memberadapted in use to be positioned generally vertically and such positiondetermining the orientation of the elements as recited hereinafter, saidelongated member including an upper suspension member including arelatively long vertical arm and a relatively short top horizontal arm,said suspension member being in the shape of a channel having a centralweb and parallel side flanges, said top horizontal arm having a hole inthe web thereof for detachable reception of means for securing thehanger to a top downwardly facing surface, said vertical arm having aplurality of vertically spaced holes in the web thereof, a slidablemember in the form of a relatively flat piece rectangular incross-section including a relatively long vertical leg and a relativelyshort bottom horizontal foot, said vertical leg having a plurality ofholes therein spaced vertically similar to the spacing of the holes inthe suspension member, and the vertical leg being fitted in the spacebetween the flanges of the suspension member and being dimensioned to besnugly received therein, detachable securing means in aligned holes ofthe suspension member and slidable member for rigidly securing thosemembers together, an L-shaped bracket having a vertical leg with a holetherein received in the space between the flanges of the suspensionmember and a leg extending horizontally therefrom, and a detachablemeans in aligned holes in said vertical leg of the bracket andsuspension member for rigidly securing the bracket in position, saidhorizontal leg of the bracket and bottom foot of the slidable memberhaving holes for reception of detachable means for securing shelfmembers thereon.

2. The shelf hanger set out in claim 1 wherein the length of each thevertical arm of the suspension member and the long vertical leg of theslidable member is at least eight times the distance between the flangesof the suspension member.

3. Adjustable shelving including a plurality of hangers as set out inclaim 1, the hangers being disposed at and distributed around apredetermined area with the horizontal legs of the brackets and thebottom horizontal feet extending inwardly from the periphery of saidarea, and a plurality of shelves coincident in size and shape with saidarea, one of the shelves being mounted on and detachably secured to theplurality of bottom horizontal feet and another on the horizontal legsof the brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS891,660 Boeck June 23, 1908 1,234,628 Christensen July 24, 19172,324,655 Tozer July 20, 1943 2,339,565 Goldberg Jan. 18, 1944 2,711,787Hallowell June 28, 1955 2,894,642 Clevett July 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS342,411 Italy July 31, 1936

1. A SHELF HANGER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED MEMBERADAPTED IN USE TO BE POSITIONED GENERALLY VERTICALLY AND SUCH POSITIONDETERMINING THE ORIENTATION OF THE ELEMENTS AS RECITED HEREINAFTER, SAIDELONGATED MEMBER INCLUDING AN UPPER SUSPENSION MEMBER INCLUDING ARELATIVELY LONG VERTICAL ARM AND A RELATIVELY SHORT TOP HORIZONTAL ARM,SAID SUSPENSION MEMBER BEING IN THE SHAPE OF A CHANNEL HAVING A CENTRALWEB AND PARALLEL SIDE FLANGES, SAID TOP HORIZONTAL ARM HAVING A HOLE INTHE WEB THEREOF FOR DETACHABLE RECEPTION OF MEANS FOR SECURING THEHANGER TO A TOP DOWNWARDLY FACING SURFACE, SAID VERTICAL ARM HAVING APLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED HOLES IN THE WEB THEREOF, A SLIDABLEMEMBER IN THE FORM OF A RELATIVELY FLAT PIECE RECTANGULAR INCROSS-SECTION INCLUDING A RELATIVELY LONG VERTICAL LEG AND A RELATIVELYSHORT BOTTOM HORIZONTAL FOOT, SAID VERTICAL LEG HAVING A PLURALITY OFHOLES THEREIN